Good question. I suspect it has something to with the Western tradition of writing/reading in the left to right direction on a page. So when 'reading' a diagram, one encounters the face of the knight first.
Why knight always looks left?
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Well noticed!! Just randomly checked some books and you are absolutely right. Must come from the English because they write it in the streets : look left ..... Did you also observe that a watch in a magazine or advertisement is always at the same time? If I remember the watches are always put on 10 minutes past 10 as to get a smiling face....
haa this is crazy because i was thinking about this yesterday while I was playing in a blitz game.
Sep 25, 2012
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#5
That's interesting I've always wondered if there was a "correct" direction to have your knights face. I personally have both of my knights "look" to the outside of the board (king's knight looks to the right, queen's to the left). I don't know why I like it this way but that how I do it.
Tin-Cup wrote:
That's interesting I've always wondered if there was a "correct" direction to have your knights face. I personally have both of my knights "look" to the outside of the board (king's knight looks to the right, queen's to the left). I don't know why I like it this way but that how I do it.
Maybe it can make it the same view no matter from yourself and your opponent.
And maybe you are a bit "outgoing" :)
In European heraldry, animals are usually (but not always) depicted looking left. That might have to do with it.
Sep 26, 2012
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#8
I got a chuckle from your observation. You'll easily understand why.
When I play my father over the board and move the knight, I"ll turn it to face opposite of where I've got something else in the works as a diversion lol.
For example, will spin it around toward the queen side and intently stare and look over the pieces on the queen side moving my eyes back and forth only on the pieces on that side while he is thinking on his turn and then when it's my turn, of course, move where I'd set something up on the king side. LOL.
It may all be just in my head, but I think even if only on a subconscious level it works.
And of course is good for a chuckle.
That's the beauty about playing over the board...You can make the knight stare any direction you want! 
On my presentation board, I have them face each other in the starting position.
Sep 26, 2012
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#10
Because the knight's allegiances are to the left of the political spectrum. A knight must support bigger government because it creates more useless, over 50 racist, offensive anti-women politicians who need a sword for hire to defend them.
So the knight looks...LEFT
JamieKowalski wrote:
They are watching the sun set.
I always knew that the knight is such a romantic jerk.
Typographic convention, that's all.
George Washington faces........ left(!) on the American quarter, and the caribou on the Candian quarter faces left also. How interesting.
What's really weird is that when you flip the board here on chess.com, all of the Knights immediately look the opposite direction (and all of the pieces immediately flip upsidedown) relative to what they were doing before.
Praying to Allah? Oops, wrong direction.
OTB games, I always turn the Knights to the left.
Othewise you're looking at their butts.
TheGrobe wrote:
What's really weird is that when you flip the board here on chess.com, all of the Knights immediately look the opposite direction (and all of the pieces immediately flip upsidedown) relative to what they were doing before.
That made me look again and again, good one 
What I wonder is how if chess originated in India 1500 years ago there are crosses on the King and Bishop.
I noticed that on internet and on books, knight always looks towards left as a piece figure. Does anyone know why it is like that and they're not looking towards right?